Alabama

Saban sees improvement in Tide's second scrimmage

Alabama Coach Nick Saban works with the defensive backs during a recent practice. (The Birmingham News / Mark Almond)

TUSCALOOSA - The Alabama football team is getting better, but it better not stop improving as it continues to prepare for its Sept. 4 opener, coach Nick Saban said Saturday.

He was much more pleased with his team's second scrimmage of the preseason than the scrimmage the previous Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium when the offense burned a young defense repeatedlywith big passing plays.

"I think the No. 1 thing we wanted to get from scrimmage one to scrimmage two was to improve as a team," Saban said. "I think we made some improvement. I'm certainly not disappointed in the improvement that we made as a team, but at the same time, we're not satisfied with where we'd like to be, and we need to focus on continued improvement."

The scrimmage was closed to the general public and the news media.

The pass defense apparently showed progress.

"We didn't give up as many big plays today, which is a good sign," Saban said. "We still had our share of mental errors. We've got to get more guys to take ownership to do their job on a more consistent basis."

This scrimmage was different in many ways.

"Last week, we were really focused on throwing the ball," Saban said. "This week, we wanted to play a game-like situation. I think we played 50-some plays in the beginning just like a game, ones against the twos, both ways. Whatever situation came up, we played it, did the substitutions, the kicking. ...

"We tested the running game a little more today, probably as much to see if we could stop it on defense as to see if we could run on offense, so we really didn't throw it as much today. It was really by design. Last week, we probably had twice as many passes. We didn't do as many two-minute situations. We didn't do as many third-down situations, but more game-like situations."

McElroy had two passes intercepted, "but one was a tipped ball and the other one was fourth down to win the game at the end of the game, and he just had to throw it up," Saban said. "He played very well. AJ has played very well. Phillip Sims continues to make progress."